Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)
Active
- Assistance listing
- 20.268
- Agency
-
Federal Highway Administration
Department of Transportation
- Grant awards
- 674 $817,349,756 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- CMAQ Program
- Assistance type
-
- Formula Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 69-8083-0-7-401
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration distributes Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) Formula Grant funds to reduce transportation-related emissions in ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter nonattainment and maintenance areas, with the most recent award on August 27, 2026 (Assistance Listing 20.268).
The program funds transportation projects and programs that mitigate congestion and improve air quality in areas that do not meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Recent awards demonstrate a broad portfolio: variable message sign installation ($1.16 million), bike-share expansion ($5.94 million), Vision Zero improvements ($7.03 million), intelligent transportation systems operations ($8.7 million), and rideshare programs. States with PM2.5 nonattainment or maintenance areas must obligate 25 percent of their CMAQ apportionment for PM2.5 reduction projects targeting disadvantaged communities or low-income populations where practicable. A 2 percent set-aside funds state planning and research activities.
All 674 awards in the portfolio are Formula Grants distributed exclusively by FHWA, representing $817.3 million in federal obligations and $1.15 billion total obligated (federal plus non-federal share). Award velocity has accelerated sharply: 16 awards in 2022, 40 in 2023, 40 in 2024, 134 in 2025, and 354 through August 2026. The program has operated since 1996, with funding available for obligation three years following the fiscal year authorization.
Eligible recipients are state and local governments. Award magnitudes vary widely, from under $10 thousand to over $8 million, with recent grants clustering in the hundreds of thousands to low millions. Representative awards include bike-lane construction ($3.89 million), traffic signal and ITS upgrades ($2.18 million), pedestrian and trail facilities ($6.53 million), and operations and maintenance of transportation management infrastructure.
The source does not indicate any currently open grant opportunities or upcoming application deadlines.
Objective and description
- Objective
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program funds are limited to projects and programs that reduce transportation related emissions air quality non-attainment and maintenance areas for ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matt
- Description
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), continued under IIJA, provides a flexible funding source to State and local governments for transportation projects and programs to help meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act. Funding is available to reduce congestion and improve air quality for areas that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone, carbon monoxide, or particulate matter (nonattainment areas) and for former nonattainment areas that are now in compliance (maintenance areas).
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Apportionment of Funds As under the FAST Act, the IIJA directs FHWA to apportion funding as a lump sum for each State then divide that total among apportioned programs. Each State's CMAQ apportionment is calculated based on a ratio specified in law. [23 U.S.C. 104(b)(4)] (See "Apportionment" fact sheet for a description of this calculation) Set-asides 2% for State Planning and Research (SPR). [23 U.S.C. 505] For a State that has a nonattainment or maintenance area for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the BIL requires that an amount equal to 25% of the amount of the State's CMAQ apportionment attributable to the weighted population of such areas in the State must be used for projects targeting PM2.5 reductions in those PM2.5 nonattainment and maintenance areas, including for diesel replacements (in addition to retrofits), and the BIL requires States to prioritize benefits to disadvantaged communities or low-income populations living in or adjacent to such area, to the extent practicable. [§ 11115(5); 23 U.S.C. 149(k)(1)(A) and (B)] States with low population density are not subject to this set-aside under certain conditions. [23 U.S.C. 149(k)]
- Uses of assistance
Please see program notice of funding.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
PERIOD AVAILABLE: Funds are available for obligation for a period of three years after the last day of the fiscal year for which the funds are authorized. FUND: Highway account of the Highway Trust Fund FUND DISTRIBUTION METHOD: Apportionment
How to apply
- Award procedure
Each State's CMAQ apportionment is calculated based on a ratio specified in law.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 674 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Department Of Transportation | $158,140,363 | 19% |
| 2 | Department Of Transportation California | $126,527,438 | 15% |
| 3 | Massachusetts Department Of Transportation | $47,463,186 | 6% |
| 4 | Virginia Department Of Transportation | $32,813,681 | 4% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania Department Of Transportation | $32,130,919 | 4% |
| 6 | Department Of Transportation Nevada | $31,326,131 | 4% |
| 7 | Colorado Department Of Transportation | $28,935,085 | 4% |
| 8 | Illinois Department Of Transportation | $27,584,369 | 3% |
| 9 | Ohio Department Of Transportation | $27,525,318 | 3% |
| 10 | Georgia Department Of Transportation | $24,336,277 | 3% |
10 of 46 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $813,161,835 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 20.268?
Assistance Listing 20.268 is Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), a federal grant program run by Federal Highway Administration (Department of Transportation).
What is the CFDA number for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)?
Its CFDA number is 20.268: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 20.268 awarded?
674 grant awards under 20.268 have obligated $817,349,756 in federal funds to 46 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 20.268?
The recipients obligated the most under Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) are Texas Department Of Transportation ($158,140,363), Department Of Transportation California ($126,527,438) and Massachusetts Department Of Transportation ($47,463,186).
On GovTribe
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